Quirkiness abounds at this contemporary hotel in a remodelled Victorian mansion, decorated with witty eclecticism, featuring modish, well-equipped bedrooms and an all-day menu of modern British dishes served in the restaurant or on the terrace amid dining pavilions and fire pits.

As it awaits the playful Kaleidoscope s treatment, this hotel, occupying two handsome Georgian townhouses on an iconic thoroughfare, has a range of classic bedrooms from cosy doubles at the top, to four-poster rooms and suites.

There are stunning views across the Golden Valley from this Georgian mansion, a smart but friendly hotel with fine-dining restaurant.

Behind a neo-classical façade, this Georgian coaching inn is a happy mix of local drop-in, hotel and restaurant, with 'comfortable rooms, good food and welcoming staff', says a returning reader.

Under the big skies of Caithness, wrapped in woodland and a curve of the River Forss, this Georgian mansion offers the grandeur of Scottish country house living but with modern-day warmth and comforts.

Eco values as well as enjoyment are fundamental to this cliff-top hotel, with sea thrift-covered roof, sweeping curves, reed-filtered pool and walls of windows to soak up the light and the seascape.

A grand country house with both Jacobean and Georgain sides, Hartwell gazes over an 18th-century landscape, with Ionic temple, obelisk, and a lake spanned by an arch from the old Kew Bridge.

A former 17th-century inn, which is part of the Duke of Devonshire's 30,000-acre estate at Bolton Abbey, is today an impressive country-house hotel, with fine dining and a spa.

More a stylish gastropub than a community hub, this historic inn has a loyal following of foodies who rave about its 'delicious meals' as well as its 'lovely quiet rooms'.

The epitome of country-house luxury, Tim and Stefa Hart's hotel stands on a peninsula, overlooking beautiful gardens and the shining expanse of Rutland Water.

With the Chatsworth estate on the doorstep, the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire's Peak District hotel has had a ravishing makeover to complement the superb food in its restaurants.

The real charm of this grand country house, with sweeping gardens, terraces, oak panelling and swish spa along with a convenient location in a hamlet a few miles from the A1 lies in its warm and informal atmosphere.

With its romantic bedrooms and views across the Menai Strait, the former country residence of the Armstrong-Jones family offers 'exceptional yet relaxed service and great food', writes a reader this year.

This popular hotel and restaurant in a former smithy, shop and barns overlooking the village duck pond might have changed ownership, but it is 'as good as ever', reports a returning guest.

The yellow submarine in the 'beautiful grounds' and the hedge sculpture of a giraffe set the scene at this 'playful, quirky hotel', in a traditional honey-stone building.

A cosy beamed pub is the warm heart of this hotel, in the shelter of wooded, red sandstone cliffs that reminded the young Queen Victoria of 'a ballet or a play where nymphs appear'.

Whale-watching, spectacular sunsets and starry, starry nights are among the wonders at this Victorian former hunting lodge on a wooded estate lapped by Loch Gairloch.

On show through walls of windows, the sea is a huge presence at this family-run hotel on the cliffs above a surfers' beach, which offers craft sessions as well as a spa and kids club.

Just over a mile from York, this imposing William and Mary country house in 20 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland offers 'luxurious rooms and amazing food'.

Where the road ends and the Irish Sea begins, this former Victorian hunting lodge with a private cove is secluded, unapologetically traditional and rich in comforts and good food.

Lush greenery along a sweeping tree-lined drive 'soothes the soul' as the towers and crenellations of this 18th-century castle come into view.

Amelia Nicholson and Marcus Seaman have revived the fortunes of this friendly village local gastropub, with its beautiful garden, characterful bedrooms and exceptional food.

A brook runs by the terrace of this smartly refurbished gastropub with rooms, where you can eat locally sourced, imaginative dishes in the restaurant or alfresco, or simply enjoy a pint with the locals.

A French-influenced building on the harbourside, this family-friendly hotel and local hub was extensively refurbished by new owners the Original Collection in 2018.

Behind the pretty façade of a Georgian town house in an affluent market town, this hotel is a perfect retreat, with small spa, oasis garden and croquet lawn.

With an enviable position on Windermere, this Georgian hall has a relaxed country house feel, with formal and casual dining options, and bedrooms ranging from family friendly to seriously swanky.